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JIllian Willis
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Rukmal Ryder is a Reference Services Librarian at Salem State University. In both 2021 and 2022 Ryder had multiple opportunities to present at and attend various conferences for Library Services. Ryder even received the Staff Development Librarian Award this year from the Massachusetts Commonwealth Consortium of Libraries in Public Higher Education Institutions (MCCLPHEI). We had the pleasure of learning more about Rukmal’s work in a brief interview.
Currently, Ryder works as a librarian in Reference Services and Childhood Education and Care Research. Some of the work she does includes training Library Help Desk and Education Resource Area staff and student employees. Other tasks include overseeing the course reserves system, managing the virtual Library Help Desk ticketing system and services, and working with the library and IT teams to create the Library Chat Services and Help Desk Teams calling. Ryder also serves on the Library Signage committee, Reference Triage Task Force, Student Training and Web Development Task Force and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility committee. Ryder also works as an NCBI trainer and a leader of the Asian Employee Resource Group. She has gone above and beyond in her work as a librarian here on campus.
Leading up to the Staff Development Librarian Award, Ryder presented at the MCCLPHEI conference last year. Her presentation discussed virtual library services and, “how we transfer virtual services during the pandemic,” explaining how the library and IT team have expanded virtual platforms to cater to students, staff, and faculty during the pandemic. Some of the projects Ryder has participated in include, library ticketing system, transitioning phone systems to Microsoft Teams and installation of a High Flex Cart in library room 109 for remote library services. She received the award from MCCLPHEI months after this presentation and Rukmal is,“hoping to use that funding to go to the American Library Association Conference in Washington DC this June.”
Beyond this, in 2021 Ryder also presented at the Association for Information Science and Technology Conference and received an award from them as well and presented at the New England Association for Science and Information Technology Annual Meeting in November 2021. Ryder explained that the conferences provided, “a great learning experience, collaborative opportunities, great member benefits, and volunteer opportunities.” Ryder will be volunteering with the New England Association for Information Science and Technology for a conference in March on "With Great Power: Artificial Intelligence and Equity."
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Congratulations on your award Rukmal! All of SSU appreciates your hard work and everything you do to help students and staff be successful, whether it is online or in person. The CRCA looks forward to seeing what comes next for you!